


The Power Within

by Angel_ofThursday



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Injury Recovery, Multi, Slight torture, Trials of Apollo isn’t canon, post HOO, some new prophecy or whatever
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-19
Updated: 2020-07-21
Packaged: 2021-03-05 00:21:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 10,778
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25385230
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Angel_ofThursday/pseuds/Angel_ofThursday
Summary: About a year after the supposed end of the war with Gaea all is well with the demigod; at least they think all is well. After finding out the truth Percy must not only escape from the living nightmares holding him but free his friends too. If he cannot, then the death of everyone he knows and loves is close at hand.*every chapter is titled with the povs I use so you can skip through it more easily. Also it's in third person I'm not a psychopath
Relationships: Annabeth Chase/Percy Jackson, Nico di Angelo/Will Solace, Original Character/Original Character
Kudos: 1





	1. Percy/Will

~Percy~  
The day started off like any normal day ought to. The sunrise was beautiful as it reflected off the camp half-blood lake, breakfast was typical with Mr.D making some sarcastic comment prior to all the campers chowing down, and as Percy set off to his morning activities one phrase echoed in his mind today is going to be a great day, we're all here!

His first rotation was Archery and even as he struggled to lift the large bow and pull the string taunt every single shot that Percy made was a perfect bullseye. This was odd, since as long as he could remember Percy had been no good at Archery. Looking around, no matter how horrendous they looked prior to releasing the string none of the other campers could seem to get anything other than a bullseye too. He guessed they just all had good luck today.  
Even though it seemed they day had just begun the conch horn soon rang signaling it was time for lunch, and then again for dinner. No matter how much he consumed at every meal Percy walked out of the pavilion feeling starved, as if it had been a very long time since he'd eaten at all. 

All these thoughts were cycling through his head when, on the way to the campfire, Percy caught a slur of movement in the direction of the woods and, despite the uniform array of campers walking in the same direction, jogged after it. Almost instantaneously, the sun vanished under the foliage and Percy was left in complete darkness.

"Percy!" A voice shouted from the fog, surprised, and oddly familiar. Percy ventured further into the mist until he could make out a figure.

"Oh Percy thank the gods!" Percy squinted as Grover emerged with a look of total relief spread across his face. Except it wasn't Grover, the person standing before Percy had a wild aura to his eyes, his face was covered in scratches, and his fur was matted with mud.

"G-Man," a smile spread across Percy's face as he stepped closer, "where've you been, you look horrible."

"What? No. Percy you have to listen to me." Grovers voice took on a frantic tone as he rested a hand on Percy's shoulder, "it isn't real, none of it is real. We've been trying to contact you for weeks."

"You're crazy," Percy yanked his hand away, "everything is fine, we're all here."

Grovers eyes shown with pity, "Percy, where's Annabeth?"

"What she's-" he trailed off, starting to Panic. Where was she? When was the last time he'd seen her? A day, a week, a terrible sense of dread settled over him as he realized it had been months. "No," the world spun, "no, we're all here."

"You need to understand," Grover looked up, "you need to escape before it's too late, you called for help. So loud and repetitive we couldn't possibly ignore. 'We're all here." 

Before he knew it, Percy was running, the forest retreated behind him as did Grovers shrieking voice. He didn't stop even as the crunch of the leaves beneath him were replaced with the sway of grass, disoriented, Percy sprinted until he ran face-first into Jason.

"Woah there," a disconcerting smile plastered onto his face, Jason steadied Percy until he stop swaying in the balls of his feet.

"Jason," Percy gasped, trying to control his rasping breaths, "where's Annabeth?" 

For a second Jason looked confused, then his smile came back even bigger than before, "She's okay, we're all here!"

Percy blinked as his mind was clouded over by a hilarious mist, and in second he burst out laughing. Jason joined in and the two boys cackled until their throats hurt and walked to the campfire and sang the night away.  
Because everything was fine. Because they were all here.

~the medic (you'll find out his identity later but as of now it stays secret)~  
The rooms were made of solid rock, perpetually plagued with a damp sulfuric scent that none of the monsters milling around the facility seemed to mind. He minded though, the smell invaded his nostrils and made him gag every time he re-awoke in this hellhole.  
That's where he was now, hunched over the barely-breathing body of someone who used to be his friend. Perseus Jackson laid on the table hooked into the cyborg array of rock formations and medical equipment that inhabited every room. And he would know, seeing that he'd been in all of them.

"So what's wrong?" The medic flinched as the cyclops behind him prodded him painfully in the shoulder.

"What's wrong is that you keep him locked up in here." the cyclops didn't seem to hear this comment, which was good. As it would probably result in something much less pleasant than a poke in the shoulder.

"What?!?" The daft cyclops shouted as the medic plugged another needle in Percy's bony body. Though he was assured that all the 'guests' were fed regularly, the starved bodies of his patients suggested otherwise.

"He was having a panic attack," standing up, the medic brushed of his hands on his already grimy garb, "so I upped his N2O levels, he should be fine now." 

The cyclops looked dumbfounded as he tried the process that sentence, but he must've been satisfied with that answer as he turned to open the solid rock door. And, in that second that the monster turned away, the medic whipped an item from his pocket and laid if next to Percy's unconscious body. It was a pen, or a least if looked like a plain, ballpoint pen, yet it was so must more than that.  
And, as he was walking out of the room, the medic relayed a mental plea to his old friend.

Please Percy, he thought, you have to remember, you're the only one who can save us all.


	2. Leo/Percy

~Leo~  
They came at night, and they hurt him.

Unknown doctors and monsters and demigods escorted him from room to room where they pumped miscellaneous drugs into his body before walking him to packed arenas to fight. And every night, he killed for them, killed innocent, faceless people with a collection of powers from seemingly nowhere. One day he would snap his fingers and rain would pour from the ceiling, and he would wake up the next with flowers growing in his wake.

And some days, on the rare occasion he would fight with fire blooming from ever-anxious fingertips, those were the days he felt most like himself.  
Not that he even knew who he was. He couldn't even recall his own name. The only names he knew where the ones they used. They called him their savior, an assassin, a soldier, a hero.

He would be their hero, he would kill and maim and play along to their games for as long as it took. But in his mind, where a caramel-haired girl danced to a silent symphony, he was still the same cocky mechanic he had been before they came and changed everything.

~Percy~  
Percy couldn't recall the last time he had dreamed. It was weird, like an idea that had seemed alien before and yet completely normal while you were doing it, and you couldn't imagine it being any other way.That, or he was going insane, one of the two.

In his dream, he found himself in a large arena, packed to the brim with monsters. Two figures fought in the center ring, one presumably a dryad by the fact that they kept disappearing and reappearing in a green mist. The only irregularities were curly black hair and the fact that the figure was male. If Percy didn't know better, he would've said it was Leo.

The other attacked stepped closer to the demigod-nymph-Leo thing and Percy caught his breath, it was Ares. For a second he was tempted to tell Leo to run, but it seemed he was actually winning. Ares looked disoriented, his arms were thinner, and his usual proud expression was deflated. In a moment of truth Leo turned into a full blown tree and Ares was stabbed through the chest. Blood, actual blood, seeped from the wound as the god bled out.

"Such are the actions of three weeks prior."  
The scene disappeared and Percy found himself in a misty room with one navy-blue armchair. It's inhabitant picked up a teacup and slowly drank the contents;which didn't look like tea.  
"Welcome Perseus," he smiled under the heavy cloak he was wearing, "we've been expecting you"

"That's not creepy at all"

The man snickered and then gestured to the floor beside him as another armchair emerged from the ground, "have a seat, we have much to discuss."

Percy shrugged and sat down on the velvet seat, "so who are you and why is Leo a tree and killing gods."

Sighing, the man set down his tea, "I guess should start from the beginning, I am Hypnos, and the world as you know is over."

Percy stated in horror as the screens filtered from image to image, he was shown both the rolling hills of New Rome and the strawberry fields of Camp Half-Blood reduced to rubble.  
"It looks like everyone's dead," Percy looked at Hypnos with fear shining in his sea-green eyes, "but I'm still here, how?"

"Ah," Hypnos nodded and, with a wave of his fingertips, the image changed into one of hope. A boat stood in a crevice if what must've once have been the ocean, surrounding the small yacht where hundreds of tents, small figures moved around between them.  
"The demigods."

Percy squinted, eager to get a better look at the makeshift war camp, "is Annabeth?-"

Hypnos nodded, "she is with them."

Continuing to observe the picture, Percy began to take notice of the mysterious golden glow that defined the perfect oval of the camp. He suddenly recognized the overturned statue in the enter of the base. "The Athena Parthenon, but how?"

"The statue never reached its designated resting point, the hunter Orion having slaying the girl before she could finish her mission. But the Parthernon still projects an aura of security to all within its shadow, monsters find themselves unable to open it"

Percy looked up at Hypnos, still half-mesmerized by the image (or hypnotized if you like, Hypnos:hypnotized, Percy found that kinda funny. As funny as you can get when your trapped in a mental prison in a post-apocalyptic world~anyway) Hypnos words rang in his head. The Girl. Orion killed the girl. Reyna. A sense of dread settled deep in his stomach, how many others had died while he was frolicking in a dream?

"I'm sure you have questions," Hypnos snapped and the screen disappeared, "but I don't have time for answers. Gaea kidnapped you, shes taken many of your friends and many of the gods too. She is playing with powers she has no knowledge of. And the consequences will be drastic if she cannot be stopped."

"But Gaea's already won!" Percy shot up from his chair, "People are dead, and the world is a wasteland and the gods are gone and you expect me to fight back? Cause, honestly, it's seems like right now the best thing I can do is stay here and let then occupy their hobbies while they leave everyone else alone!"

"Have you no sense of duty," Hypnos scowled, "Gaea has not won as long as we're fighting back. Look at you, look at me! Many of my brethren have been killed and yet I stand here hidden in a place they cannot follow. Of all the people you've saved, of all the battles you've fought, look at all the people who have died so far and think; what would they make of your newfound cowardice."

Percy sighed, "but why me? Why not wake up Jason, or Clarisse, or even Jake for gods sake! Why not wake up a real hero!"

"Because you are a real hero," there was a playful tone to Hypnos voice as he rose from his seat, "you are Percy Jackson, savior of Olympus, and it is time for you to wake up."  
Without warning he snapped his fingers and Percy's vision tumbled until he blacked out and fell to the ground. He heard nothing at first, nothing but humming of machinery and the throbbing of the living earth.

And then, for the first time in over a year, Percy Jackson awoke.


	3. Percy/Will

~Percy~  
Percy squinted as blinding light invaded his eyelids. He thought about all the things Hypnos had just told him as he took in his his surrounding and immediately noticed three things.

One, it stank down here, wherever he was. It was damp, smelling like mildew and rotten eggs and somethings else Percy couldn't quite identify. Two, this was no normal location, Percy lay on a bed of stone hooked into electronic medical devices which worked for some unseen reason. It was so odd it made Percy's head spin. Three, he was hungry, really hungry, he wondered where he could get some food.

_Hello, Percy_

Sitting strait up, Percy physically jumped at the voice inside his head. It was feminine, but sounded like an old women, definitely not something he recognized.

"Who the hell are you?" He spoke aloud.

Shh, be quiet you idiot they'll hear you!

"Oh," Percy lowered his voice to a whisper, "who will hear me?"

_Would you quit that!_

"Quit what?"

 _I'm in your head Percy, he could almost imagine the voice rolling their eyes, you don't need to talk aloud, just think what you want me to say and I'll hear it_.

Oh, so can you hear me right now?

_Yes._

Percy absently looked at the stone ceiling, somewhere in the building water could be heard dripping through a presumably leaky pipe. Can you hear everything I think?

_Unfortunately._

Pursing his lips, Percy looked around the room for any visible escape ways, there were none. The room was simply four solid rough stone walls, it made no sense. Carefully pulling out the needles in his arm, Percy slipped out of the bed and flinched at the blaring alarm.

_Now look what you've done!_

Heavy footsteps could be heard approaching outside the compound, hastily Percy threw himself back in the sleeping position and attempted to relax.

_Now if you had just listened to me for one second we wouldn't be-_

Shut up! Percy bit his lip. Surprisingly, the voice listened. Now, if your going to be in my head you might as well be useful, any advice on how to get out of here.

_If you would listen I would tell you, and I'm only going to say this once so you better listen!_

Percy internally sighed, proceed.

_The medic will assist you._

That's it! Percy cursed, you invade my mind and not to mention mercilessly annoy me just to tell me one line!

_Well I'm sorry, would you have liked a pamphlet?_

A pamphlet would be nice.

 _You demigods and your entitlement! You think just because-_ The walls of Percy's room rumbled, it seeming something- or someone- was trying to get in. _I must go, the time of the prophecy is at hand._

What prophecy! Percy was screaming within his head, but he had a sinking suspicion no one was listening. The alarm continued to screech, and in one deafening, earth-shaking, boom a section of the wall parallel slid open to reveal an archway. Two figures entered the room; or at least it sounded like two figures. For all Percy knew it could be a whole army of tip-toeing soldiers.

"What iss it thissss time?" The voice was female, but somewhat otherworldly. It was also presumably reptilian by the elongating of ss's.

"I would know if you would give me a moment to check him!" Percy gasped, then quickly recomposed himself. He knew that voice. He didn't know when, or where from, but somewhere in the past he had met this mysterious medic.

"Hurry it up, the misstress won't be happy."

"The mistress can feel whatever she wants, now go turn off the alarm. I can't work with it ringing like that."

With a grumbling acceptance of the task, the second figure moved from the room leaving Percy alone with the whiny voiced demigod of his past.

"Percy."

Percy stayed still, focusing on beeps of devices and the steady rise and fall of his chest.

"Percy I know you're awake."

Percy sighed, and opened his eyes. He was not surprised to see the grimy figure of Will Solace standing above him.

"Where are we?"

"Percy we don't have time for this." Will plucked the needles out of Percy's skin just as the overhead alarm shut of.

Will cursed under his breath, "it should've taken her longer than that, she'll be heading back here any minute."

"Who?" Percy slid from his bed and immediately collapsed to the ground, his muscles weak from misuse.

Will rolled his eyes as he grasped Percy's shoulders and lifted him to his feet, "the goddess Hera."

"Really?" Percy stumbled to a standing position, bracing himself against the stone wall.

"The Dracaenae, you idiot. She'll be hear soon and I have a feeling she won't be to keen on you leaving."

"Huh," Percy snickered and began moving towards the entry way, he lost his footing and fell to the ground. Wincing from wounds he hadn't known existed, Percy struggled to stand himself back up.

Will frowned, "you're in no shape to fight, we'll have to get you out before we face the monster."

"No," Percy stood back up, "I can do this, I can find my way out of here."

"Percy-" Will stopped, the slithering footsteps of the Dracaenae could be heard approaching from the distance. "Listen to me," hastily, Will shoved Riptide in his hands, Percy didn't have the time to ask where he had got it from, "you need to take this and find your way out, I don't care how. But Percy, you're the only one who can save us. You have to understand that. And tell Nico-"

Will's words were cut off by the Dracaenae's screeching battle cry. "Run Percy," Will's eyes shone with bravery as he turned to face his foe.

So Percy ran, using the wall as a brace he clutched his sword like a security blanket in his hand. Soon, the walls became a blur of twisting corridors. The sounds of fighting were just beginning to fade when the stone earth walls transformed into corroded metal and the mildew stench became that of burnt metal.

"I think I hear something up here."

Percy looked around wildly, being unable to identify the source of the voice. He could hear footsteps approaching from either direction and it seemed as if all was lost when his eyes settled on a particularly large ventilation pipe. Not thinking, he dove in.

"Did you see him come this way?" Muffled voices spoke outside.

"I thought he was up near you!" The two voices continued bickering until they faded into oblivion and he was left in complete and utter silence.

"Who are you?" Percy jumped, this voice sounding much closer, to close for comfort.

"I'm-uh" Percy struggled for breath, he could feel his eyelids drooping. He heard a match being lit and the passageway was illuminated to reveal two figures. A girl and a boy, both with mossy brown hair. Though while the boys was light and semi-reddish the girls was more like the color of black coffee. An SPQR tattoo was ominous on her forearm.

"Oh my gods," she spoke quickly as her eyes surveyed his body, "you're one of the prisoners aren't you?"

Percy stared at the two figures, they seemed like they were from another planet. Both were clean and looked well fed, the boy looked vaguely familiar. But Percy couldn't identify where he'd seen him before.

"Andromeda," the boy had a slightly squeaky voice, Percy was sure he knew him, it was driving him crazy, "that's Percy Jackson."

Percy couldn't quite remember what happened next, something about arguing and being carried out of the building. It wasn't long before his head dropped in exhaustion and everything went black.


	4. Annabeth/Percy

~Annabeth~  
It was odd how quickly things could change. Like, one minute you'd be sulking your way through a useless war council wondering how things could ever be worse and the next Cecil Markowitz bursts into your life with news that changes everything. 

Because suddenly, there's something to hope for. 

That's how it went. It was a Tuesday morning. The thing about Tuesday's, nothing ever happens on Tuesdays. Even before Gaea conquered the earth and Annabeth started surviving in a living hell nothing ever happened on Tuesdays. She was sitting in on the monthly 'resources' meeting. Annabeth hated resources meeting, it was a constant reminder that things couldn't stay the way they were forever.

The current speaker was Harrison Smith, a 2nd cohort centurion son of Ceres. He bored Annabeth with his talk of stocks and rationing and raiding trips, Harrison was about to finish up with the oh-so-interesting topic of water purification when the ever-perky son of Hermes blasted through the door Andromeda Pink in tow.

"What in the-" Frank, who was heading the meeting, began to stand up. But was stopped by Cecil, who looked only at Annabeth.

"We were at the facility," Cecil spoke quickly enough for the words to slur and blend in large phrases, "we shouldn't of been but I had to and we were hiding I promise but he found us, he found us and then he just passed out and we didn't know what to do so we just carried him back and left him in the infirmiry but we don't know how it happened and we don't know what to do!"

Finally stopping for a breath, Cecil leaned on a table as the room broke out in wild speculation. After what seemed like forever, Frank stood back up and silenced the tense room with a wave of his hand.

"Who Cecil," Frank spoke slowly, as if to a scared child, "who found you."

Cecil looked up, his eyes were blood-shot and he was drenched in sweat. He looked as if he had just run a marathons. He closed his eyes briefly, then opened them. The room leaned forward in anticipation. Cecil sucked in his breath, then said perhaps the two most influential words of Annabeths life, "Percy Jackson."

And that was the moment when everything changed.

~Percy~  
For the second time in two days, Percy woke up to a completely unfamiliar room. The experience was much different the second time though. This room didn't seem as threatening as the first one. Percy was laying on a soft bed with blankets piled on top of him. A glass of water and flowers were set on the bedside table, a window was cocked open to let in friendly sunlight.

He moved his attention back to the flowers, they were beautiful white lilies. Percy had no idea where they had got them from, the world being a ravaged wasteland and all.

"They were a gift." Percy looked up, Annabeth leaned against the doorframe, she looked well. She looked beautiful. The sunlight catching the waves of her hair giving it gold undertones.

"Hello." Percy felt so stupid, he had so many things he wanted to tell her. But all he could manage to get out was 'hello?' Idiot.

Annabeth smiled wistfully and sat down on the edge of his bed, she couldn't seem to make eye contact with him. Instead fingering the delicate petals of the lilies. "You know Butternut? Silly little nymph, seems to have two left feet. But always good at heart."

For a minute, they sat there in total silence, pounding footsteps and leisurely talking could be heard outside the window. "Annabeth," he stopped, the words being caught in his throat, "what happened."

"That's what we were hoping to ask you stupid," she ruffled his hair playfully, and for a second things were almost back to the way they were. But something seemed off about her, she was colder, more hesitant. Percy wondered what could have happened to make her feel that way. He felt guilty for not being their to protect her.

"I love you." The words came out naturally, he didn't know where they had come, but once he started he couldn't stop, "I love you, and I'm sorry I let you down. Because I should've been their for you and I went and let myself get captured and that was stupid. And I know I caused you pain so I'm sorry." Tears were peaking at the tips of he eyes before he even knew what was happening.

She closed her eyes, and Percy was afraid he was overwhelmed her. But she reopened he realized she was sobbing large, fat, tears, "why do you always feel the need to apologize!" Her voice was shrill, she seemed on the verge of screaming at him, "we lost you! We been trying to rescue you for months now and we were too stupid to know how. And then you escape yourself and you come in here and apologize!?" She was laughing now, Percy could feel himself smiling.

"You're crazy Wisegirl,"

"Yeah, back at you," she playfully shoved his shoulder and Percy winced somewhat against his will. "Oh gods, sorry." She surveyed his body, which was covered in bandages, Percy suddenly felt self conscious.

Through gritted teeth, Percy reached out and took her hand, "it's okay, I'm fine see?"

"You will be fine," Annabeth meticulously positioned the blankets around him, "Kayla says a couple of the wounds became infected due to mistreatment, apparently the Giants weren't too concerned about keeping their prisoners in prime condition."

He laughed, "I guess not. But they're old wounds, they'll heal."

"Eventually." Standing up, Annabeth started towards the door, "you're not aloud to get out of bed, at least for today, you hear me?"

Percy nodded, "you're going to have to fill me in on all-" he gestured to the room around him, "this."

"Not now, maybe once you've fully recovered and can process the information."

They both laughed, Annabeth opened the door but Percy stopped her, "don't be a stranger I'm not going anywhere."  
She said nothing, simply rolled her eyes and left the room. Percy instantly missed her, it's funny how you can forget someone exsist for a year and then get them back and not be able to get enough of them.

He was still in pain, sore from wounds he couldn't remember receiving. His head hurt, brimming with curiosity and dread about this new location. And of course, he couldn't get the previous proceeding out of his head. The arena, Hypnos, Will's sacrifice. He wondered if he would ever get to thank Will.

But despite all this, Percy was left in that room with the peaceful sensation that all was well.


	5. Leo

~Leo~  
Leo had just gotten used to his new routine when they switched everything around again. See, it was 9:00, and usually at 9:00 Leo would be in the labs preparing for the uniform gladiator battle at 10:00. He wasn't though, and it was unsettling. Leo sat on a singular wooden chair, his hands chained under the seat. It was the only chair in the room, the crimson-eyed women across from him sat on top of the table in front of him with her eyelashes playfully fluttering and her legs flirtatiously crossed.

He knew what she was, an empousa, just because he couldn't see her fiery hair or mismatched legs didn't mean they weren't there.

"Such a pretty little boy," the Empousa smiled as she dragged a pointed fingernail down Leo's cheekbone.

"Heal, Lisa" Leo jumped as a man entered the room behind him. The Empousa, clearly disappointed, pulled her hand away.

"Hello, Leo. You've been quite the 'talk of the town for the past few months, did you know that?"

Leo smiled, under his breath, "thank you."

"For what?" The man behind him sounded audibly confused. He stood unseen behind Leo's chair.

"For telling me my name, I like the name Leo."

Silence. Leo heard footsteps and suddenly the man was right up behind him. His breath hot against Leo's night.

"That will not be the only thing you gain, if you cooperate."

Leo said nothing. The man stepped away from Leo and slyly chuckled, "you've killed six gods in the past month Leo, six. And that's only just this month, imagine how many you have killed in the year you've fought in our ranks."

More silence. "You're a fine soldier Valdez, maybe a fine general someday too."

Valdez. Leo quickly added the word to his mental bank. Was it a nickname, a last name maybe, it could've even been a code name. Who was old Leo? And how did he end up in this situation?

"Leo if you don't answer me I'm afraid I can't help you."

Leo sighed, on a normal occasion he would've let the man wear himself out. But with all the hints he was dropping about old Leo, it wasn't something he could just let go. "What did you have in mind?"

He could feel the man smiling behind him, the Empousa looked up and seemed to make eye contact with the man. Some unseen joke shared between the two beings. 

"Leo we're all a family here. An army, but a family no less. And lately some of our brothers and sisters have been going through a rather rebellion phase. Some even getting it in their heads that they can leave us all together."

The man paused, seemingly waiting for some sort of reaction. And he got it, as Leo bent over and started hysterically laughing. "You mean to tell me someone escaped?"

Sneering the man gripped Leo's chin, "you wouldn't find it so comical if he was under your watch! If whatever blood he spilled was on your hands! Would you be laughing if you knew that your failure to retrieve him would result in your death."

"I'm sorry man," Leo jerked away from the mans grip and sat up quickly, "it's just two funny, and now you want me, someone who you're also suppose to be watching, and who, from what you said, is far more important to them than this rogue rookie of yours, to go after him? What's to tell you that I just won't run off as soon as you let me go?"

"Because I know you, Leo." The mans voice took on a singsong tone, "we can make a deal, as long as you need me as I much as I need you I can trust you won't get in the way."

Leo raised an eyebrow, "who's to say I need you."

Bracing his hands on the back of the chair, the man finally spun around so Leo could see him. He looked normal enough, on the outside. Leo wondered what hideous beast lurked underneath his skin.

"I know what they did to you in those labs Leo," this stopped Leo's train of thoughts dead in its tracks, he could think of nothing but what the man had said.

"Yes, I knew that would spark your interests," the man moved back to the table, sanding beside the Empousa. "I know who you were before you came here. I know who you loved, who hated, and where to find them. And if I know a boy like you, you would do anything to get that information from me."

Unchaining Leo's wrists from under the chair, the main head a bony hand in welcoming, "so what do you say soldier, can we make a deal."

Leo smirked, maybe this man could be useful to him. So, with the clockwork in his head formulating a plan, Leo took the mans hand. "Where is this, rouge you speak of?"

The man smiled once again. Bigger and more unsettling than any smile Leo had previously seen in the conversation.

"His name is Percy Jackson."


	6. Annabeth/Percy

~Annabeth~

Annabeth didn't understand how the Romans did it. At Camp Half-Blood, council meetings were short and sweet. You sat down, you were usually told some life changing news, a couple of campers would get in a fight ending up with one of them storming out, and then you were done. There was no long debate, no official way it had to be conducted, it certainly was nothing like the Roman senate meetings.

See, Annabeth usually wouldn't bother to attend the regular meetings, but considering they had finally elected to discuss Percy's escape from the prison. She figured it would be nice if she attended. For moral support, if nothing else.

Annabeth looked over at Percy now, he was a little pale, and still used the celestial bronze cane Harley had made for him to get around. Annabeth was honestly opposed to him attending the meeting but he refused to stay in hospital a minute longer. The original one day of bed rest had ballooned into three days which had ballooned into five and suddenly he had been in there all week. She understood he was stir crazy, but she still didn't want him getting out of bed.

Currently, he was doodling on the agenda sheet, which was in Latin. Annabeth had no idea how he managed to read it, she suspected he had no idea what it said. He looked up and caught her eye.

Are you okay? She mouthed, careful not to interrupt the very important topic of weapons storage, he simply smiled. Suddenly, and seemingly out of no where, his gaze shot to something behind him. She couldn't see what was happening but, drawing very little attention to himself, he got up and left the room.

Annabeth had no choice but to follow.

~Percy~  
He had no idea why the hazel-eyed girl wanted to talk to him, but seeing as she was one of the people who had carried his unconscious body, and heavy no doubt, body to safety. He figured he owed her the favor of a quick chat.

Funny thing was, when he left the senate hall, she was nowhere to be found. Percy looked around wildly before starting to walk down the hallway and being interrupted by a harsh voice.

"Are you blind or something?" Pivoting wildly Percy saw that the girl, in fact, had been leaning on the wall just outside the doorway; he had missed her in his haste.

"No," Percy frowned, embarrassed by his mistake, "just tired I guess."

"Mmhmm," the girl pursed her lips, clearly unimpressed. Looking at her closely know Percy noticed a few thugs about her. Her hair, which he had originally compared to the color of black coffee, was more similar to that of dark chocolate upon closer inspection. And she was young, 14 at the oldest. He could count three stripes under the tattoo on her forearm, just below a darkly inked Caduceus.

"You're a daughter of Hermes." He noted.

"What?" She sounded confused, then promptly noted the tattoo on her forearm. "Mercury actually, and a Centurion too, third cohort. I've been one for a year and six months, so i was there when you became Romes shortest -elected praetor."

"You're a centurion," confusion filled Percy's voice, "but shouldn't you be in the senate meeting if your a centurion."

The color drained from her face as embarrassment laced her eyes, "I was suspended."

"For rescuing me?"

She shook her head,"for leaving without permission. You think me and Cecil were authorized to be there that day."

"Cecil," Percy could suddenly recall the young son of Hermes face, "but if you weren't there for me, why were you?"

Looking at the ground, the girl quickly changed the subject, "My names Andromeda you know, when they ask you to speak in the senate make sure to note the bravery of Andromeda Pink."

"No hold on a second," frustrated, Percy gripped her arm, "I've here been too long to be denied answers; who were you and Cecil spying on when you found me. And while we're on the topic, if you knew where we were being kept why didn't you just rescue us and be done with it."

Andromeda stopped, Percy could see tears filling her eyes and immediately felt bad. Who was he to be harassing this young girl. He was about to apologize when she spoke.

"You can't leave the mindstate without having your memories wiped," Percy tried to ask what the mindstate was when she interrupted her, "we were spying on Lou Ellen, she's in the mindstate so we can't rescue her but Cecil's so worried he sneaks out to see her. And before you ask if we tried just waking them up we did. We tried waking them up but he didn't remember anything."

"Who's he," Percy let Andromeda go and she looked up, wiping the tears away from her eyes.

"Daniel Lucas, you should meet him. I don't why you haven't. He's a son of Tyche. His older sister was there when they found Gaea's institute so she pulled him out ASAP, he couldn't remember a thing. Not even his own name."

Percy wistfully looked at the door to the senate hall, "how long will it take them to get the the seventh item on the agenda."

"Seventh?" Andromeda smiled, "hours, you have time."

Percy nodded, "then take me to him, take me to meet Daniel Lucas,"

Taking his hand, Andromeda led him away from the senate room, "of course,"

And off they went.


	7. Percy

~Percy~  
Percy caught Daniel in the middle of dominating the card table. Not exactly his post-apocalyptic game of choice, but Percy watched in awe as he seemingly effortlessly won 13 drachmas from Travis Stoll, an anonymous son of Ceres (the tattoo was a dead giveaway) and a nymph.

"That's it," Travis threw his cards down on the table, "I don't know how you did it, but you out cheated me. Here are all the Aces kept up my sleeve." Putting his arm up the heavy winter coat he was wearing (in the middle of July, mind you), Travis pulled out six aces and laid them on the table, "I have no idea where they came from." He stormed off.

With Travis gone, the other two players mumbled something about having better luck somewhere else and wandered off until Daniel was alone shuffling cards and counting money.

"The was brilliant, I didn't know you could play poker."

Daniel looked up as Andromeda sat on the ground next to him, he had hair a similar color to Andromedas, with chocolate brown skin and eyes flecked with gold. He smiled with teeth fit for a toothpaste commercial.

"I didn't know I could play poker either!" He laughed, "guess I just have good luck."

Luck. The world echoed in Percy's head, he remembered Andromeda saying something about him being a son of Tyche. Luck indeed.

"So listen Daniel," Percy interrupted Andromedas 'flirting session' and she frowned as he turned his attention to him, "my name is-"

"Percy Jackson, I know. You've been quite the icebreaker out here."

Daniel laughed as Andromeda blushed again. Percy rolled his eyes; he didn't think he was ever that obnoxious with Annabeth.

Continuing he took a seat directly in between Andromeda and Daniel. Cruel? Probably. But Percy had a feeling separating the two would be the only way to get his point across. "Umm, so you probably know that I just escaped. And so have you, as Andromeda told me, so I was wondering if you could tell me-"

"No," Percy stopped, taken back by Daniels sudden seriousness, "whatever you want to know, I can't tell you. Because honestly I don't remember."

Percy winced, his little amnesia episode was far to fresh in his head, and it wasn't like he remembered everything anyway. Ever since he was told Gaeas 'defeat' was fake, Percy had had a hard time distinguishing between dreams and reality.

"Daniel," Andromedas voice was weary, like she was speaking to a potentially violent animal, "Percy was hoping you could tell him something about your experience, see how they match up,"

Daniel shook his head, "all I know is that I woke up in a strange place with strange people standing over me who had strange ideas about who I was and who I ought to be."

Percy was taken aback by that statement. He remembered Bob, the Titan to whom he owed his life, and how Percy had gotten him on their side by erasing his memories and convincing him he was one of them. If Gaea somehow convinced confused demigods that her cause was the right one...

"Percy," jumping, Percy recognized Annabeths voice behind him. She had probably followed him when he had abandoned the senate meeting on his little side-quest. He looked back at her cautiously smiling, she did not look happy. Annabeths eyebrows were furrowed and her storm-gray eyes had that special 'I am going to kill you' look in them. She nodded in the direction of the senate hall before walking away and Percy had no choice but to follow.

The thing about Annabeth, when she was angry, you _knew_ she was angry. The problem was, Percy couldn't seem to figure out what she was angry about. Her words blurred together and at some point, he began to just tune her out all together

"Of all the irresponsible childish things you could've done-"

Percy couldn't get his mind off his recent deduction; Hypnos had said something about Gaea raising an army.

"-their goodwill and kind favor for you. And which you neglected to appreciate-"

Hypnos had also said something about Gaea playing with powers she couldn't control...

"Why would you even do that? I mean, it's not like your even friends with that girl-"

And with the dream about Leo using the powers of a Dryad, and Ares dieing a mortal death. Suddenly, the puzzle pieces clicked together in Percy's mind.

"Annabeth," she ignored him, continuing on with her rant. Finally, Percy couldn't take it any more, he snapped.

"Annabeth I know what Gaea's doing to the demigods she captured."

Stopping, Annabeth look taken back by his words. The wild glow of her eyes faded as she turned to face her boyfriend, "what did you say?"

"You see I had this dream," Percy took a deep breath, "before I escaped, and Hypnos told me that Gaea was playing with powers she couldn't control. And earlier in that dream I saw...a demigod fighting with the powers of a dryad. Hypnos didn't mean figuratively, he meant Gaea is literally messing around with demigods powers; transplanting them and such."

Something seemed to click in Annabeths mind, "the shadow gods, of course."

"The what?"

Annabeth smiled, "only a few of the gods managed to evade Gaeas forces. The darker, generally less popular ones, the ones who can control shadows."

"So," Percy racked his mind, "like Nico with shadow travel,"

"Sort of, but not really at all. Nico can travel through shadows, but he isn't powerful enough to stay within them for long periods of time. Not like a god can; Hypnos is among them, being able to survive within dreams."

"I'm sorry, how is this relevant to what I just said?"

Annabeth pursed her lips, "Percy, Hypnos risked coming out of hiding to tell you these things. It has to be relevant to something. I just don't know what it means."

"I'll tell you what it means," the pair both jumped as a stern, familiar voice approached from behind them. "It means that the time of the prophecy is at hand."

Then, out of the shadows, stepped Nico DiAngelo.


	8. Percy/Leo

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This isn't beta read at all so have fun. Also, at some point in this timeline Will and Nico have dated use your imagination. Also, if you're here for Solangelo is might be a while, sorry.

~Percy~  
"Okay hold up," Percy held up his hands in a time-out symbol, "everyone stop for one second,"

He looked up at Annabeth and Nico, "what prophecy?"

The both looked down abruptly.

Percy pushed again, "what prophecy!"

Annabeth bit her lip, "we weren't going to tell you until you'd recovered,"

"Tell me what!" He threw his hands up, exasperated, "that I'm the subject of another godsdamned prophecy? You were just gonna keep that from me?"

Annabeth sighed, running a hand through her hair, "we didn't want to stress you out."

"Stress me out! I'm always stressed out! The world is ending and you didn't want to stress me out!"

"Percy," Nico put an arm on his bicep, "just calm down, we'll tell you."

Percy most definitely did not feel like calming down, but he knew when to bite his lip, "tell me."

Nico cleared his throat, "the," he stopped, turning towards Annabeth, "I don't remember the whole thing."

She turned towards Percy, hesitant.

Percy took a step towards her, covering her hands with his, "Wisegirl," he pleaded, "please."

She sighed,  
"The medic will assist you  
The hammer will betray them  
The prisoners amidst you  
The mother has enslaved them

The scholar waits in celestial light  
The gods are hidden in the night  
A friend is foe 'till final fight  
With only you to save them

And when the final moment arrives  
In trust the symphony to be your guide"

"Okay," Percy pulled away, "that's not that bad. I mean, we've heard worse, right?"

Neither Nico nor Annabeth answered him.

He tried again, "right?"

Annabeth sighed, "I don't know Percy, there's a lot to unpack with this one. But right now," she gestured around her, "I feel like things are pretty bad."

"Hmm," Percy slumped to his knees against the wall, "I guess we should go back to the Senate, huh?"

Annabeth nodded, sitting beside him, neither of them made a move.

Nico cleared his throat, "I'm banned from the Senate, I was hoping you could offer some insight on the prophecy."

"Um, yeah," he sighed, "so mother, that's Gaea, and I'm you, and the medic, that's probably Will."

"Will?" Nico inhaled quickly, "you've seen Will!"

"Well, yeah," Percy stood up, "he helped me escape, he remembered me."

"He wasn't a prisoner?" Annabeth stood up.

"No, he was definitely a prisoner. But he wasn't hooked up to machines like the rest of us. He was just, you know, a medic." Percy shrugged.

Annabeth started, "so the prophecy isn't just coming, we're already in the middle of it."

She pulled Percys hand, "come on, let's go."

"Where are we going?"

Annabeth smiled, she pulled Percy to her, kissing him on the cheek, "to talk to the Senate, Seaweed Brain. We need to find whoever the hammer is."

"Wait," Percy rubbed his cheek, "why?"

Annabeth was already walking ahead of him, and she didn't even stop as she yelled back, "cause he's about to betray us!"

~Leo~

Leo tried really hard to feel something as he looked at the screens ahead of him. Honestly, he dug deep inside of himself and tried to feel at least somewhat affronted by the images being shown; shriveled strawberry fields, collapsed cabins, a dried up crater that, by the looks of the fish bones settled on the bottom, had once been a lake. But all he felt was empty.

Whatever this place had once been, it meant nothing to him now.

"It was called Camp Half-Blood"

Leo jumped, he was so immersed in the images he had almost forgotten the man standing behind him. They had upset his routine once again, instead of sending him into the labs to inject him with another power they had sat him in the emperors box of the stadium he usually fought in and made him watch two kids fight to the death. Then they had given him food, real food that made him queasy and brought him to an expansive surveillance room to look at images of the outside world.

Leo squinted at the small, inset screen, a large farmhouse with chipped blue paint stood, eerily, untouched, at the center of the valley.

"Nice place," he mused, then turned to the man behind him, slinging one arm over the back of his chair, "is it supposed to mean anything to me?"

He shrugged, "you tell me, Leo. Do these images stir anything in you, remind you of a long-lost past?"

"That would be a no," Leo swiveled the chair to face him, "no memories remember? The whole point of our deal was you telling me who I am."

The man smiled, placing one hand on the back of Leo's chair he turned it back towards the screen, which had changed to display a new image: this one some sort of camp set up besides a grounded boat. Leo gasped, "there're are people out there? Alive ones?"

"Alive ones," the man agreed, "the enemy. What's left of them, anyways."

Leo's mind flicked back to the previous images. All that carnage...could a bunch of kids really be responsible? He thought about the girl in his mind, the one with the caramel hair.

"She's dead...isn't she?" he vocalized.

The man didn't seem to fully understand, but his answer was information enough, "everyone the old Leo knew and loved is dead, or here."

Here. That was a thought. Never in a million years had Leo imaged the one connection he had to his past life could be alive and thriving. A prisoner, like him.

"My target," Percy Jackson Leo remembered, the escapee, "he's down there?"

"It's the only place he could survive outside our reach."

Leo looked at the small figures milling around the camp. There were hundreds of them, thousands maybe, he could disappear there. And that girl, she'd be trapped here.

"Understand this, Leo. When you get down there, they will tell you any number of lies to get you on there side. Lies about your former life, lies about who's good and who's bad. Never forget that they are the enemy, they can't give you what you really want, who you really want."

"Of course," Leo agreed, "they are the enemy, after all."

He didn't really believe it, but it didn't matter. After months of killing a different opponent everyday Leo had learned not to care about the good guys and bad guys were, only who was next. That's all Percy Jackson was really, another opponent, only this time there was more than just his life on the line, this time there was a girl he was aiming to save.

Leo had yet to lose, and he wasn't about to start now.


	9. Will/Percy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fan fiction is the only thing giving me serotonin right now so I'll probably update pretty frequently for the time being although don't expect good writing or anything because I don't edit and I only have have a limited knowledge of grammar but also I feel like this probably isn't to worst written fan fiction you've ever read sooo

~Will~

It was kinda like when you were sick, when your nose was stuffed full of mucus, and you sat in your bed, struggling to breathe, and tried, desperately, to remember a time when you could breathe properly. It was comparable to that, definitely. But, instead of reminiscing about two good nostrils Will was trying to recall the sensation of not being in pain.

He had been strapped there for seven days (eight days?) it wasn't torture, really, Will wasn't nearly as bad as some of the patients he had been forced to treat. He shuddered, just thinking about them, rows of circled brandings, slow, methodical, amputations, hallucinogens that turned your brain to putty...

Okay, that definitely wasn't helping, but Will had made his point. He could be a lot, lot, worse off than he was now. It wasn't like this was the first time he had strapped to a gurney for a week, with no food, and blindingly bright, buzzing, lights that made his head feel he was about to birth a wisdom goddess.

Well, maybe it was the first time for Will, but that didn't change the fact that he sure as hell wasn't going to tell them anything about Percy's escape.

Even if he wanted too, Will didn't really know anything about Percy's escape. Sure, he had bought enough time for Percy stumble out of the current room, but he couldn't have gotten far without help, and Will had no idea where he could've gotten to.

Then there was the small continuity error of Percy still having his memories. Will had woken many a patient sure, but they always asked the same question when they awoke: "Where am I?" And after that, they were sure to ask the equally important, "who am I?" The whole point of the mindscape was to leave the demigods idle until they were needed and then could be woken up and manipulated. Never before had a demigod awoke on their own, and they certainly hadn't done it with their memories.

It had all started a few days prior, when an alarm went off in Percy's room. Alarms went off all the time, but usually when a prisoner was having a seizure, or rejecting food, but Percy was fine, just anxious, like he knew something was wrong. 

And then, when he finally laid down for his allotted seven hours of sleep, Will had felt a strange lump in his back pocket. He didn't check to see what it was, there were too many cameras in the facility but, if Will had to bet, he would've sworn he felt a pen.

A horrible screeching noise interrupted his thoughts, and Will's table was raised until he was face to face with the man who had just entered the room. 

He looked human, so Will amused himself thinking of all the hideous things that could be hidden beneath his chiseled jawline.

"Just came to check on you, Will," he smiled, his teeth were unnaturally white. Will couldn't remember the last time he had had the luxury of brushing his teeth, "see if you remembered anything about the escape."

"I'm sorry," if Will could've, he would've shrugged beneath his bindings, he just hoped his expressionless face would communicate how absolutely not sorry he was, "I would help you if I could."

"Naturally," the man rolled his eyes before turning, Will assumed he was leaving him alone before the man spoke to some invisible attendant beyond the room, "release him."

The metal straps opened all too quickly, and Will tumbled to the ground. His whole body shook with the sensation of freedom. Was the room spinning? It certainly felt like it. He tested his muscles against the hard ground before using the edge of the gurney to pull himself to his feet.

"Well," the man nodded to him, "come on then."

Will pushed himself off the gurney, taking one shaky step. Oh gods, the lights...he swallowed down a wave of nausea.

"Where are we going?" he gagged.

"You're little stunt has earned you an audience with the higher ups in this army."

Will managed another step forward, "I'm gonna throw up," he mumbled.

"I would advise against it," the man sneered, "you'll want to look presentable when you speak with mother Gaea."

~Percy~

"This is bad Percy..." Annabeth seemed to be a million miles in front of him, talking fast, like she always did when she had a lot of her mind, only this time Percy didn't feel like he could quite keep up with what she was saying, "...they think you're crazy. Hearing voices? And the whole simulation thing, it's unfathomable. That, coupled with your physical condition upon arriving here, it's not likely people are going to believe anything you say around here for a long time..."

Behind her, Percy released a huff of hair, leaning heavily on the celestial bronze cane he had been gifted. It wasn't something he liked to admit but, as much as he had pleaded to be freed from the medical wing, he didn't feel 100% there, physically.

"It's not like they want to believe you either," Annabeth continued, "we have it hard enough hear already, our food sources are minimal, to say to least, and the idea with having to face another prophecy is, well..."

Percy's cane hit an uneven patch of ground of he stumbled. Cursing, he pressed one hand against the wall, "Wisegirl," he pleaded.

Annabeth turned, embarrassed when she saw Percy so far behind her, "sorry," she muttered sheepishly, before returning to his side. Looping her arm through is, Annabeth help him move forward at a slower pace.

"It's not the first time people have thought I'm crazy," he muttered, "whether they want to do anything about prophecy or not it's here, and they're gonna half to accept that sooner or later."

"I know," Annabeth sighed, before suddenly perking up, "I think I know someone who can help," she unwound her arm before crossing in front of Percy, "I'll go...um...tell them you're coming."

Percy rolled his eyes at the lame excuse to leave him behind, "you do that," he teased.

As she ran ahead, Nico took her place at Percy's side. He jumped, when Nico touched him, Percy had almost forgotten the son of Hades was with them.

"You mentioned seeing Will," Nico spoke softly, his quiet voice the complete opposite of Annabeth's near shout, "is he okay? Did he look okay?"

"I'm sorry, man," Percy frowned, "I was really loopy, at the time. But I owe him my life."

"Right." Nico turned his head away, unsatisfied.

"Why don't you just shadow travel inside, if you know he's already awake," Percy mused, "a one-man rescue op?"

He shook his head, "Don't you think I've thought of that? Shadow Travel takes a lot of energy, and Gaea's fortress is heavily fortified, I could collapse and get trapped inside. Will has enough to worry about, in there, I can't make him worry about my safety as well."

The walked in silence, for a while, the mood sufficiently dampened, before Percy was suddenly struck with a memory, "he did mention you though?"

Nico perked up, almost like the child he was supposed to be, "he did?"

"Well...he didn't get to finish, but he told me to tell you something."

Nico stared straight ahead and, if Percy didn't know any better, he would've said he was almost smiling.

"It could've been anything though," he quickly amended.

"No." Nico shook his head, he sniffled, suddenly emotional, "I know exactly what he was going to say."


	10. Percy/Annabeth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would be the one to say I'm gonna update "pretty frequently" than wait a week.

~Percy~

"I can't believe it!" 

Before he realized what was happening, Percy found himself engulfed in a hug.

"They told me you were here, but I didn't have a chance to come down and see you."

The figure pulled away, and Percy could finally get a good look at his assailant. 

"Rachel?" He gasped. Not quite believing it for himself either. 

Of all the people he expected to find here, Rachel Elizabeth Dare had never crossed his mind. She looked older, with her hair pulled into a hasty bun and dark blue circles underneath her eyes. She was smiling so wide she looked like she might start crying and, with a start, Percy realized he hadn't seen her since before Hera had kidnapped him. 

Now it was his turn to hug her. 

"I missed you," Percy mumbled, squished against her shoulder. 

Annabeth smiled, "Rachel's been heading up the archives department, with you gone."

"Archives?" he questioned.

"Archives isn't really the right word for it," Rachel led him deeper into the room, "I prefer communications, we keep a log of all our ally's. The dead, the ones here, the ones in Gaea's facility, and the missing ones...mostly the missing ones. See for yourself."

She gestured to a large wall on one side of the room, with names scrawled from floor to ceiling in white chalk. Annabeth and Rachel stepped back, giving Percy his privacy as he surveyed the list. He recognized Hazel and Piper on the list, though he supposed he would've seen them if they were here, and he remembered seeing Jason and Clarisse in the mindscape with him. Further down, Percy read the name Grover Underwood scrawled in neat, white letters. 

He staggered back. That wasn't right, he had seen Grover, Grover had visited him in his dream, had triggered him awake. If he wasn't here, where was he? 

"Percy?" Annabeth's voice shocked him out of his thoughts, and he turned to face her where she was standing with Rachel. 

He turned to face her, plastering a fake smile across his face, "what's up?"

She smiled back at him, although hers didn't seem quite so fake, "since we've been here, Rachel and I have spent countless hours analyzing the prophecy, I figured she could help me fill you in."

"Of course," Percy reasoned, "who better to analyze a prophecy than the oracle herself?"

Rachel seemed to flinch, she crossed to Percy, a sad, almost pitying impression on her face. Percy braced himself for more bad news, until he realized it wasn't Percy she pitied, but herself, "I've...lost my connection to the oracle of Delphi." she sheepishly admitted.

"Lost it!" Percy guffawed, he looked towards Annabeth, who's expression offered no clues, "since when?"

"Since Gaea took over," Rachel sighed, "the prophecy's old Percy, I delivered it when you were still on your quest, some people doubt that it still applies, I don't, but I'm only a mortal now-"

Her voice cracked, and she quickly turned away from Percy, embarrassed.

"Rachel," Percy put one hand on her shoulder, "if you think the prophecy still applies, I do too."

She nodded still looking off. 

"The prophecy's already started, anyway," Annabeth noted, "whether or not people believe it they'll be proved wrong real soon."

Rachel sniffled before aggressively wiping one hand across her face and turning to face them. 

"Well, then" she smiled, weakly, "I guess we've got work to do."

~Annabeth~

Annabeth hadn't quite fallen asleep that night when Percy gasped awake beside her. 

"Annabeth?"

With a little difficulty maneuvering on the small cot, Annabeth turned her body to face him.

"Are you okay?" she asked, squinting her eyes to try and make out his face in the dark, 

He nodded, more confused than upset. She pulled herself closer, laying her head on his shoulder. Careful not to upset any injuries, Annabeth slung one leg over his hip. 

"Did I wake you?"

She shook her head, "I'm a light sleeper."

Percy played with her hair absentmindedly, Annabeth could sense his mind was somewhere else. "What are you thinking about?" she said, tilting her head to face him as much as possible. 

"That list, " he admitted, "the one with all the missing demigods,"

Annabeth cursed, "I knew I shouldn't have shown you that list. I kept telling myself it would stress you out needlessly but I still..."

"I'm glad you did," he interrupted, "It's just, Grover was on that list, but I saw him. He visited me in my dream. Where could he be?"

Annabeth shook her head, at a loss, "we haven't received communication from any other demigods. It's possible that there are other's out there but I can't image how they would survive..."

She stopped, not wanting to upset him further. From his silence, she had upset him enough. Annabeth always said to much, eager to get her thoughts out of her brain. 

"Percy?" she finally asked, after a minute. Maybe he had fallen asleep. 

He gulped, his hand resting on her neck, "there's just so many of them," he whispered, agonized. 

Annabeth broke away, pushing herself up on her elbows. Leaning down, she pressed her lips against his. Percy was quick to reciprocate, trailing his hand down her spine till it rested against her tailbone. For a second, it was only him, and the world blurred as Percy flipped Annabeth onto her back. 

But, as quick as it had started, it was over. Percy paused, pulling away, and only as he did could Annabeth hear voices speaking loudly outside the tent they had holed up in.

"Annabeth?" Cecil Markowitz's voice could be heard outside the room, "you'd better come see this."

She sighed, unraveling herself from Percy's arms. "I'll be right back," she promised, with a quick kiss. Shimmying a hairband off her wrist, Annabeth pulled her hair back quickly, hoping Cecil would ignore her flushed cheeks. 

"This better be important," she complained, pushing through the tarp. 

He was just as flushed as her, and Annabeth suddenly felt bad, "what's wrong?" she sighed. 

"There was another escapee," he blurted, "from the Gaea's compound!"

Annabeth leaned in, careful to speak quietly, "with or without memories."

"Without."

Annabeth pushed past him, walking as quick as she could, "they're in the med tent?" 

"Yes," Cecil confirmed, "but,"

"How did this happen?" she exclaimed, "did they have help? Did you go back to the compound?"

"No," he was quick to answer, "but there's something you should know,"

"There security must be getting worse," Annabeth mused, "maybe they're getting lazy. Did you say it was a boy or a girl?"

"Boy, but," huffing, Cecil darted ahead to face her, "Annabeth, it's Leo Valdez."


End file.
